Hi All, newbies here.

B

Bigsky

Active member
Joined
Feb 4, 2018
Messages
38
Fluid Motion Model
C-26
Hull Identification Number
FMLR2526C414
Vessel Name
Miss J
My wife (Janny) and I (Bill) would like to say hello to all you nuts. Like many here we recently jumped off the cliff and purchased a life change. In October we invested in a new/used 2014 R25sc from the nicest human up out of Greenbay, WI. We hauled it back here to MT only to park it in storage for 7 months. The toughest winter I've ever had to endure. I've had many boats over a 30 year span but none with a motor. There's much to learn. It's exciting to be a total rookie at something again. We got a slip on Flathead Lake so we can figure stuff out in a fairly calm setting. Our goal is the PNW. Janny and I are jacked to be a part of your tribe and look forward to some cruisin and happy hours with some of you.

Gunwales Up, B&J
 
B & J,

Congratulations! We sold our 2014 R25 about 4 months ago – traded it, actually, for an R31 Sedan.

We loved the R25. She was a great boat to learn on and took us any place we wanted to go. This included three circuits of about a month each around the Puget Sound and one 6-week trip down the Snake/Columbia River system. We trailered her from Portland, OR, to Clarkston, OR, right on the Idaho border. That is the upward limit of commercial navigation and tugs and barges still run along the whole route. We didn’t have a barge, but we did have a tug.

Some of the things we learned: We love being underway in a semi-displacement, traditional looking, workboat. We can go through locks; we can feed ourselves on extended trips; we can budget fuel (not so hard with the diesel). We learned that we cannot live on a 25 foot boat with two 15 lbs dogs (hence the 31).

We learned that boaters are, generally, convivial and helpful. We learned that tugboaters are the best examples of this. We learned that Ranger builds great boats, their people stand behind them, and there are still places where you can do business on a handshake.

We thank all the people who taught us these things. We hope you will have the same fond memories of your 25 that we do of ours!
 
Welcome to the group!
We feel your pain waiting out the winter. Barb and I bought our R25sc last fall and had it delivered to our home in Whitehorse, Yukon. We got it out the next weekend for a 3 day trip on Kusawa Lake and absolutely loved living aboard on the lake. Then the weather got cold and I had to winterize before she froze up. 🙁 Now she's sitting on the trailer at -35 Celcius and eagerly waiting for spring.
We will be boating some more Yukon lakes, as well as towing her to Skagway to access the Southeast Alaska coastline, over the next 2 years. Then the plan is to retire to Vancouver Island and we will be boating the PNW waters. Maybe we will see you out there somewhere; we plan on taking part in some of the events and gatherings once we are in the area.
Happy Tuggin'!
 
Hey Guys,
Thanks for the positive input. I realize this will be a steep learning curve for a while but can level out with your words of wisdom, Tugnut forums and Ranger support. Been perusing the forums since our purchase and am impressed with the knowledge and response times over such a range of issues. We just attended the Seattle Boat Show and still decompressing. Met some of the Ranger crew and firmed up an onboard clinic with Glen Wagner over in Anacortes for April. The seminars were awe inspiring. My boat show goal (which fell way short) was to keep my 1st mate from stepping onto any boat larger than 25'. OOOPS! Maybe someday. We are on the waiting list for the Desolation trip in July. Lots to figure out first if it comes to pass. The tug is like new with low hrs. and no known issues. That can change in a heartbeat but we're jumpin in. We've got a border collie that we're going to try to include in this adventure. Tugmutts has been a big help. In the mean time I've been doing some minor mods to the boat and just sittin inside with a 1500 watt heater and down parka wondering what it'll be like. Lucked out in that we scored a storage unit with a power pedestal outside so I didn't have to pull the batteries. So far, so good. The marina we'll be at opens May 1. Flathead marinas have to wait til snow melt raises lake levels enough. I know we could trailer west but just have an old tired Tundra and have 3/4 ton friends to haul up in May. Didn't know we had so many friends that wanted a boat ride on the lake. :shock:

Again, thanks and hope we can join up with you soon.
 
B&J: Welcome Aboard the Tugnuts and your R-25SC. The R-25 is a fine boat and one we first invested in back in 2009. You will learn to enjoy it very quickly. Ask any question about the boat on this forum and within a few nano seconds you will get a response.

Well done.... enjoy.
 
Welcome to the TugNuts family of boaters,

My wife and I recently joined the family a few months ago when we purchased a near-new 201t RT 25SC like yours late last year in Stuart. With only two days spent on the boat, we took Little Toot on her maiden voyage (for us anyway) from Stuart through the Lake Okeechobee waterway system last week to her new home port of Ft. Myers Beach. Made the crossing in a leisurely 3-days. Like you, we have much to learn about our boats, but this is a great community to learn from.
 
Hi and welcome to the club! We are newbies too - having bought a new RT 31CB at the Boats Afloat show! We are not only new to boating but new to Rangers!! What a great company and I agree with all the accolades here! We were thrilled with a fall delivery so we could do a few little trips and get her outfitted for boating season!! We are willing to go out in poor weather, with fewer people on the water!! We are in love!! Learning curve pretty steep for us... Enjoy!!
Debbie
 
fst415":2l3rmdq7 said:
Welcome to the TugNuts family of boaters,

My wife and I recently joined the family a few months ago when we purchased a near-new 201t RT 25SC like yours late last year in Stuart. With only two days spent on the boat, we took Little Toot on her maiden voyage (for us anyway) from Stuart through the Lake Okeechobee waterway system last week to her new home port of Ft. Myers Beach. Made the crossing in a leisurely 3-days. Like you, we have much to learn about our boats, but this is a great community to learn from.
Click to expand...


Saw your boat a couple of weeks ago when having dinner at Pincher's. Love the boat and its name! We are awaiting on completing the purchase of a nearly-new 2017 29 CB, purchased at the St. Petersburg Boat Show a couple of months ago. One of these months we'll be seeing you at the marina in Ft. Myers.
 
Thanks for the compliment, Monfried, and congratulations on the purchase of your new boat. Look forward to seeing you on your new boat in the Ft. Myers Beach waters.
 
Welcome Janny & Bill! I also bought our R23 in October. It has been a long cold winter...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

  • Tugnuts.com is the community hub for Ranger Tug, Cutwater, and Solara owners. Since its inception in 2008, the Tugnuts forum has grown into an active and thriving community of more than 9,000 members. It serves as both a meeting place for the best boating community online, and an invaluable archive of information.

  • User menu
Back
Top